OP here. Thank you for all the valuable insights. This information is even more important now because DD was deferred from ND, so Georgetown could possibly be where she lands. She's applying to BC and HC (RD) and a couple of secular reachy schools. She is also waiting for some other early action decisions.

Honestly, this may have been the best predicament because although ND has always been her dream school, this situation will allow her to explore options that she might have otherwise shut out.

We plan to look at Georgetown more closely, attend some masses, get connected to campus ministry, etc. The beauty here is that it is close by and we have time to explore before mid March when other decisions come.

Lots of pros for Georgetown too! Selfishly, I won't mind the 30 minute ride there vs. 9 hours to South Bend (but will miss Irish game days.) She won't have to worry about frigid lake effect weather. More convenient to shops, restaurants, and other services. Close to her brother who lives in DC. She got over the initial shock of being deferred by seeing the glass half full. Proud of her!

Parent of a current student at BC (presidential scholar) who was also accepted to and strongly considered Georgetown. DC's best friend is at Notre Dame and also pretty devout. I will say that Georgetown does not have the kind of Catholic community BC and ND have--it's there, of course, but it's not a faith-forward institution. BC is BIG on service. ND has a strong Catholic community but is not Jesuit, which we personally prefer. If faith and service matter to her, I will say that Georgetown is not at the top of that list. DC is incredibly happy with their choice--feels incredibly supported academically and spiritually. Good luck and congratulations to your daughter!

Anonymous wrote:OP, DC is at a SEC school and has been able to find a Catholic tribe there. My neighbor attends Texas A&M and say the same. Many colleges have a Neumann Center that supports a catholic community and service at secular schools.

Good luck!

Thank you, and yes, I realize secular schools support Catholic students. My daughter has friends who attend UMD which has a robust community. She is more interested in Catholic schools because Catholicism is woven into the school culture and curriculum. She wants to be able to take theology classes and participate in music ministry on campus. And what she loves about ND is the access to daily masses in so many chapels. Plus game days are awesome

She would be wise to look at non-Catholic schools that have active Newman Centers as well. Locally, UMD is phenomenal, and GW has a strong campus ministry too. Texas is another place where state schools have vibrant Catholic student offerings.

OP, DC is at a SEC school and has been able to find a Catholic tribe there. My neighbor attends Texas A&M and say the same. Many colleges have a Neumann Center that supports a catholic community and service at secular schools.

Good luck!

Unfortunately not many Jesuits left on campuses. Gtown and HC have lay Presidents. Echo pp that Holy Cross has a stronger vibe of Catholicism then the Hoyas.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re looking for a strong Catholic group within a larger student population (as opposed to a Catholic environment that encompasses the entire school), you’re likely to find one at a large Midwest university. My kids both went to 2 different Big 10 universities, & both schools had thriving & unapologetic Catholic communities.

Can you say which Big 10 schools? Thanks

Northwestern & Nebraska. Nebraska has a beautiful newish church adjacent to the main campus. Northwestern has a Catholic facility right across the street from the heart of the campus. Both had overflowing crowds at the masses we attended during the school year. I recall the priest at Northwestern making a joke about “the Jesuits down the street” [at Loyola University, which is not far away].

Anonymous wrote:Georgetown is Jesuit. Its academics are very strong (especially the SFS). It accepts students from a wide range of faith backgrounds, including atheists.

Most Catholics understand how that might be a different student experience than (example) CUA.

+1

It's not basic Catholicism of the masses; it's elevated.

People saying Georgetown doesn't have a strong Catholic identity do not understand Jesuits. Right or left, Catholic or not, you have to be okay with Jesuit values to feel at home at Georgetown.

Definitely look at Holy Cross great combination of Catholicism and sense of community helping others. HC places a lot of emphasis on volunteering in the community believe their RD deadline is Jan 15. Best of luck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you looking for the we only care about fetuses type Catholics or the serve the poor type Catholics?

OP here. Both. You can care about life and serve the poor at the same time last time I checked.

You can. Many don’t. Not an unreasonable question if you want to determine whether any given community will feel like a good fit for you.

Anonymous wrote:As a non-Catholic (and non-Christian) employee of Georgetown, I think what makes Georgetown special is that an explicit part of the strong Catholic and Jesuit identity is the inclusion of upholding “community in diversity” and embracing all faith traditions (and welcoming those of no faith tradition, as well). The chaplaincy includes Jesuits, an Orthodox Christian priest, Protestant ministers from every denomination, a rabbi, an imam, and leaders from Dharmic traditions.

There are residential ministers who live among the students, an extensive retreat program, and a wide range of sacred spaces. Obviously the largest portion of the student body is Catholic, and within that group you’ll find Hoyas for Choice and faithful attendees of the annual anti-abortion Bishop O’Connell conference (which Georgetown hosts). This page will give you a sense of the opportunities for Catholic students just within Mission and Ministry: https://campusministry.georgetown.edu/faith-traditions/catholic/

Your daughter might also want to look at the Spirit of Georgetown, a list of guiding values, all grounded in the Jesuit tradition: https://missionandministry.georgetown.edu/mission/spirit-of-georgetown/

Good luck to her!

+1

Anonymous wrote:Are you in the DC area? Why don't you contact Campus Ministry and/ or have DC visit the mass most attended by the Campus Ministry student crowd to assess the vibe?

When I was at Georgetown, a long time ago, there was definitely a small but super-dedicated group of devout Catholic students, enough to support several prayer groups, a charismatic Catholic group, etc. Your DC should be able to find out a lot from the experience of those students.

My DC is a practicing Catholic and a current student at GU. There are still quite a few Catholic student groups in campus. DC goes to Mass every week with two other Catholics in DC’s friend group. Weekend Mass is well attended and there are often social events after Mass.

Freshman year there is a retreat in the Shenandoah Valley run by the GU Catholic ministries (I forget the official name) that is very popular. There are also social justice focused spring break trips for Catholic students.

There is a pro life group on campus.

There are definitely ways for Catholic students to connect with each other. The majority of students though are not practicing Catholics.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re looking for a strong Catholic group within a larger student population (as opposed to a Catholic environment that encompasses the entire school), you’re likely to find one at a large Midwest university. My kids both went to 2 different Big 10 universities, & both schools had thriving & unapologetic Catholic communities.

+1. At nearly any university, whether large public or mid size private, there will be a small devout group within the larger population. Get in touch with campus ministry to ask questions.

Even at BC, same thing, there are students very active in several campus ministry organizations, even though they may be a minority of the whole.

I have no doubt she'd find her people at Georgetown. Congrats to her!

Thank you. Yes, she is looking for diversity in the student body while being able to connect with a small group of devout students. She is not interested in immersing herself into a larger population of like minded people, but rather explore her numerous interests, one of which is her faith.

Sadly this thread is starting to get some ugly comments that I hope will be deleted. Please report them.

Then it sounds like Georgetown would have what she is looking for, as will several other schools. Good luck with ND.

If you have not been a frequent reader of this forum before, these types of threads always devolve into a mess, as there are some pot-stirrers in the forum who have nothing better to do than create controversy using horrible language, though they tend to out themselves by their ignorance. Best to just ignore the unhelpful comments.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re looking for a strong Catholic group within a larger student population (as opposed to a Catholic environment that encompasses the entire school), you’re likely to find one at a large Midwest university. My kids both went to 2 different Big 10 universities, & both schools had thriving & unapologetic Catholic communities.

+1. At nearly any university, whether large public or mid size private, there will be a small devout group within the larger population. Get in touch with campus ministry to ask questions.

Even at BC, same thing, there are students very active in several campus ministry organizations, even though they may be a minority of the whole.

I have no doubt she'd find her people at Georgetown. Congrats to her!

Thank you. Yes, she is looking for diversity in the student body while being able to connect with a small group of devout students. She is not interested in immersing herself into a larger population of like minded people, but rather explore her numerous interests, one of which is her faith.

Sadly this thread is starting to get some ugly comments that I hope will be deleted. Please report them.

Georgetown is not known for its “Catholic identity”. It’s really just Catholic in name only and although your daughter might find pockets of orthodox Catholics who are serious about growing in faith, the overall vibe of the university is one of dissent from Church teachings.